Former Kapamilya stars beef up IBC 13 slots
January 25, 2014 IBC-13 has sought the help of former ABS-CBN employees and cross-over Kapamilya stars and talents to beef up its programming under The Kapinoy Network and "get a better chance at beating rival networks," according to the newest chairman of the network Jose Avellana since January 2, 2014. Avellana identified Laurenti Dyogi, former ABS-CBN executive vice-president for the TV production head, as IBC Entertainment TV production head. Maria Ressa, former ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs vice-president for news operations, as IBC News officer in charge for news, and Freddie M. Garcia, the former ABS-CBN president and CEO, and independent director, is now as IBC's vice-chairman. TG Kintanar, who used to anchor for Headline Trese in 1989, is now the male co-anchor of the station's hour-long primetime news program Express Balita, which airing weeknights 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. (simulcast nationwide over DZTV Radyo Budyong 1386, DZTV TeleTrese and IBC News Network) Kintanar is a newscaster of IBC. TG will also be helmed by the female anchor Snooky Serna-Go to anchor the evening news program for IBC-13, going against the established giants on the news front from the country's phenomenal network. "As early as now, the new team is already infusing changes in the news department," Boots Anson-Roa, the network's president and CEO told Inquirer Entertainment on Friday. "The shows now have more public service segments. They are now more responsive to the audience and more interactive." Also part of the new IBC news team is Mario Dumaual who is veteran ABS-CBN entertainment news journalist, is now joining IBC's senior showbiz correspondent for showbiz news to join IBC News team, says IBC public affairs director Mayet Camacho. Alfie Lorenzo, formerly a reporter for DZMM (an AM station), is now a writer of Bitag, a public service-investigative program aired Saturday nights 11:15 p.m. hosted by hard-hitting Ben Tulfo. Also part of the spruce-up is extending the airtime of Express Balita from 30 minutes to a full hour while the primetime newscast is also dominated of TV Patrol and 24 Oras, Canoy pointed out. "This is just the first phase. Viewers should watch out for more," he said. "Right now, it's important that we first build a credible image for our news team. With Maria and TG's help, we can solidify our platform." Since last 2011, executive vice-president Lito Ocampo Cruz added, IBC's international channel Global IBC, has been available in key areas in the United States through cable distributor Echo Star, DIsh Network and DirecTV along with other countries from Middle East, Guam, Coast to Coast, North America, Japan, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Korea, Hawaii, United Kingdom, Africa, Australia, Canada, Europe, Malaysia, Italy, Thailand, California, West Cost of USA, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Spain, India, Macau, Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Alaska, Turkey, Russia, Egypt, San Francisco, etc. Next on the drawing board, Cruz said that privatization, is the "strengthening" of the network's sports and entertainment programming as the co-production of Viva Television. The FM radio station of IBC-13, 89 DMZ (Danze Muzic Zone) remained as the nation's #1 dance music station in the country that playing dance music, hip-hop and R&B, OPM and other foreign hit songs, Hot AC and remixed music in the Asian market in A-B-C upscale with the the roster of DJs and club DJs. The network's primetime block Kapinoy Primetime recently started producing the primetime drama series "to compete with quality shows produced by ABS-CBN and GMA by airing fantasy and drama series on primetime." It also headline its weeknight programming come up with Janella in Wonderland. Janella Salvador, who starred in the character role Nikki of the daytime hit teleserye Be Careful With My Heart, is now her first acting project of IBC where she topbilled in the very first fantasy series Janella in Wonderland, the phenomenal fantaserye aired at 7:45 p.m. from Monday to Friday. She played her role as Janella, a girl who will turning good as a mermaid tale under the sea, known as the Princess of the Sea. Janella now hailed as the Primetime Princess of IBC, along with Be Careful With My Heart onscreen partner Marlo Mortel as Janella's love interest, along with the 90's loveteam Angelu de Leon and Bobby Andrews, Andrei Felix and Roxee B, along with Kat Alano as Calissa. Jodi Sta. Maria and Richard Yap, who is started from the daytime teleserye Be Careful With My Heart, will be topbilled by a family-romance comedy Maya Loves Sir Chief, a feel-good sitcom aired Saturdays 9 p.m. imparts of Filipino family values. Robi Domingo, who is the housemate of Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition Plus given the TV host and he hosing the online counterpart ASAP Chill-Out of the Sunday musical variety show ASAP 19, will be hosting the top-rated game show The Million Second Quiz which airs on Sundays at 7 p.m. where the studio contestants to win in P1 million peso cash prizes and loan of money. Boots denied rumors that IBC-13 is interested in getting senior vice president for Star Magic (ABS-CBN talent center) Johnny Manahan to help. But he hinted on "talking with" a director who is "responsible for a number of box-office hits for the Kapamilya network ABS-CBN."